Study: NJ red light cameras help in some ways

TRENTON (AP) — A state study has found intersections with red-light cameras in New Jersey are seeing fewer serious right-angle crashes, but more drivers rear-ending other cars.

The Transportation Department study also shows that with time, drivers get used to cameras and the number of tickets drops significantly. In the two Newark intersections that had cameras for two years, citations went down by 85 percent from the first month cameras were used to the 24th month.

The study looked at data from two dozen intersections statewide where cameras had been in place at least one year by May 1.

The study found the number of right-angle crashes was down by 15 percent in the first year in spots with cameras, while rear-end collisions were up 20 percent.

Overall, the number of crashes rose by less than 1 percent and the costs associated with the crashes were calculated to have gone up by $1.1 million.

In the two intersections with two years of data, right-angle crashes — which are attributed to red-light running — were down by 86 percent.